There Goes My Hero
by xxxxIloveSiriusBlackxxxx
Summary: My first shot at a story and not a songfic...Fred and Hermione come back from a second attack at Hogwarts and romance ignites, but how will Hermione cope when tragedy strikes and she's alone?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the world of Harry Potter.**

Fred panicked looking for an escape from the madness and chaos surrounding him. "Psst, Fred!" he heard someone whisper from behind him. "Who's there?" he questioned, turning in circles unable to see clearly through the smoke and rubble from Hogwarts' second attack in a decade. "It's Hermione, follow my voice. I've got Harry's old Invisibility Cloak." He took a couple steps in her direction before feeling her cold, clammy hands grab his arm and pull him under the cloak with her. "What do you think you're doing just standing there? We didn't come back here to get ourselves killed!" Hermione whispered frantically. "I know, I know, what are you doing?" Fred asked, relieved Hermione was still alive. "Looking for you, of course. Come on, we need to get out of here before we get caught. The others are waiting," Hermione warned, then apparated from what looked like the end of the battle.

"Where are we at?" Fred questioned as they walked up the sidewalk to a two-story white brick house seemingly in the middle of nowhere. "New quarters for what's left of the order. We had to move so the Death Eaters couldn't find us again," Hermione explained, dragging Fred through the door and slamming it shut. "Fred! You're back!" Molly Weasley exclaimed as she threw her arms around his neck. "Mum…mum! I'm ok, can you let me go now?" asked Fred, prying his way out of his mother's arms. "Sorry, Fred, I'm glad you're ok. I think everyone's back now, right?" Molly questioned, beginning to calm down. "Fred was the last one of us there that I'm aware of. Everyone should be back by now," Hermione answered. "Good, good. Let's go have dinner now, everyone's waiting," Molly announced to Fred, Hermione, and the few others lingering around the room. As everyone cleared the room, Fred grabbed Hermione by the hand and pulled her back. "What's the matter?" Hermione asked as she pulled her hand back. "I just wanted to thank you for getting me back there. Those Death Eaters, they're a terror. It was nice to see a friendly face come up, especially yours. You're an amazing woman, Hermione, you really are. You're beautiful, talented, smart, clever. Don't let anyone ever tell you any different. I…I just thought you should know," Fred gushed before leaving the room, face turning beet red. Hermione didn't know what to do or say. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. She let out a long sigh then made her way to the dining room for dinner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the world of Harry Potter.**

After a very relaxing dinner, everyone scattered. Hermione avoided Fred's eyes all through dinner; she didn't know what she was supposed to do. She made her way outside to take a walk when she ran into Ginny. "Hey, have you talked to Fred?" she asked Hermione. "No, why? Has he said something about me?" she quickly responded. "He went looking for you after dinner…said he needed to talk to you. Is everything alright?" Ginny asked curiously. Hermione raised an eyebrow, sighed, then replied, "It's just lovely. I don't know what I'm going to do or say to him, but I guess I had better go find him."

"You're not mad at him, are you?" Ginny questioned. "No, no, not at all. I don't think I could ever be. I think he let it slip how he feels about me. I'm just not sure how to tell him how I feel about him. I mean, I've liked him for years and have always found him very attractive. Only thing is, I never imagined us together or him feeling anything for me. I was always the bushy haired girl with my nose in a book. He was the popular prankster," Hermione rambled on. "Hermione! He's liked you for ages, but never thought you'd see him like that due to him being the prankster. Personally, I think the both of you are great for each other. We've all grown up and he's changed…well, he's still goofy, but he's more mature than he was. Go see what he has to say. Please, I think everything's going to end up being fine," Ginny reassured.

"Thanks, Ginny. Do you know where he might have gone to look for me?" Hermione asked, beginning to worry about the conversation lying ahead. "Looks like he found you," Ginny answered, pointing just over her shoulder as he was coming out of the front door, "I'll leave the two of you alone to talk for a bit." "Thanks, Ginny," remarked Fred as she made her way back into the house, "I've been looking for you all over, Hermione." "Look, we need to talk," they both said simultaneously.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the world of Harry Potter.**

"Go ahead and say what you need to then, I can wait a minute," Fred offered. "Oh no, Ginny said you wanted to talk to me, so go right ahead," Hermione quickly defended herself. "Um, ok, I just wanted to apologize for what I said earlier, I was out of line and shouldn't have said that," spoke Fred nervously. "Fred, you're funny," Hermione laughed, "I wasn't mad over what you said, you just caught me off guard, that's all." "Really?" Fred remarked, astounded. "Yes, it's totally fine," she answered. "Now, what was it you were going to say?" Fred questioned, unforgetful of Hermione needing to say something. "Well…it can wait," Hermione spoke quietly, face turning a bright shade of red. As she turned to walk off, Fred grabbed her arm to stop her. "Do you really think you can walk off like that? I told you what I had too, now it's your turn. I want to hear what you have to say," he begged.

"Well, um, I don't know how to say what I want to say, she confessed, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "But, what you said earlier surprised me, but in a good way. I never expected you to say anything like that to me of all people. I don't see myself the way you said, I never have." "Listen, Hermione, to be quite frank with you, I've cared about you for years…wanted to date you for years, but never thought you'd give me that kind of a chance. I thought we'd always be stuck at that 'just friends' stage and that's all we'd ever be. If you want to be with me, please say something," Fred told her, hoping for the best. "Fred, Fred, Fred," spoke Hermione as she grabbed both of his hands, "Of course I'll be with you as long as you'll have me. I don't think I could have it any other way if you'll have me around." Fred's face lit up at her response. "Hermione Granger, you are an amazing woman," he gushed excitedly before kissing her, "I love you." "I love you too, Fred," Hermione whispered back, also smiling.

"Now that that's out of the way, what do you say to going back in? It's beginning to get a little chilly out here," Fred asked Hermione, offering her his hand. "Sure, that would be wonderful," she replied, taking his hand as he kissed her gently on the forehead. Hermione blushed as they headed inside. As they walked in, she noticed Ginny sitting alone in the corner of the main room reading a book. Hermione caught her attention and winked as Ginny noticed they were holding hands walking through the room. Ginny mouthed "Good job" to Hermione as they walked by. Hermione's heart was fluttering, the smile couldn't be wiped off her face, and, for the first time, she was with a man she truly loved and cared about.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the world of Harry Potter**

*A Few Weeks Later*

"So they're really together now…how about that?" Arthur Weasley mumbled under his breath, watching Fred and Hermione walking hand in hand outside the kitchen window, "Next thing you know, we'll be planning their wedding."

"Morning, dad!" Ginny piped in, "Who's wedding are we planning?"

"Your brother," he replied, "Look at him, I don't think I've ever seen him that happy before. He deserves it after everything that's happened," Ginny commented, Maybe she's what it's going to take to get him to finally settle down. George did with Angelina, you did with Harry, now it's his turn."

They looked back out the window and watched Fred and Hermione, now on a swing cuddling up together.

Hermione happened to look up at the kitchen window and notice that her and Fred were being watched. Her face turned red as Fred stared at her in confusion while Arthur and Ginny walked away from the window laughing hysterically.

"Hermione, what's the matter?" Fred asked Hermione, unable to understand why she went from cozying up to him outside on a swing to being silent and having a red face in mere seconds.

"Oh, maybe because your dad and sister were staring at us through the kitchen window. I…I wonder what they were saying about us," Hermione answered nervously.

"Hermione, you don't need to worry about what anyone is going to say about us. As long as we're happy with each other when we're together then that should be all that matters," Fred assured her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her back close to him.

"You're right, I know I need to quit being such a worrier and just let things be," Hermione replied as she smiled and reached up to kiss him then laid her head on his chest.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything pertaining to the world of Harry Potter.**

Hermione awoke early the next morning to find herself curled up next to Fred and the smell of breakfast downstairs. She hadn't even known Fred came up to lay down by her during the night. She quietly slipped out of bed as to not wake him up so she could go downstairs.

"Morning, Hermione," Fred whispered as he rolled over, stretched, then laughed at Hermione trying to sneak out of the room. "Where 'ya going?" he asked.

"Downstairs to get breakfast. I was trying not to wake you up. I never even knew you came up here until this morning," Hermione admitted.

"I can't stay away from you anymore, Hermione. I love you, I need you, and I'll always be here to protect you," Fred admitted, "Go ahead and go downstairs. I'll be down there in just a few minutes." As soon as she walked out of the room, Fred jumped up, ran to his room, and began digging through his things.

"Where is it? Where is—ah, here it is!" Fred exclaimed as he pulled out a small box wrapped with a bow from a drawer, "She's going to love it…I hope."

He went downstairs to enjoy breakfast with his family and the rest of the Order. He took a seat next to Hermione who gave him a look that clearly asked what took so long to come downstairs with her.

"I'll explain later," was all Fred could say for the moment.

After breakfast was over and the kitchen got cleaned up, Fred grabbed Hermione's hand and took her to a beautiful shaded spot by the pond close to the house. "Fred, why are we away from everyone else?" Hermione asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

"Hermione, I know it's too early, but with what's been going on with the war and all, I feel like I can't wait any longer," Fred explained as he got down on one knee and opened up the box he went digging for that morning, "Hermione, will you marry me?"


End file.
